warriorsfanficfandomcom-20200213-history
Motives of a Murderer
motives of a murderer. by firey. DON'T WORRY. That's what they all say. Learn to ignore what they say, as it always leads to harm. Remember to trust your own instincts and act quickly. Nothing is worse than having slow reflexes in the Sangre Valley. It's a harsh place, perhaps the harshest you'll experience. It's like a trap: once you come in, you'll never come back out. EVERYTHING is dangerous. Trust no one. Rely on yourself and steer clear of other cats. SEEK no allies. You will find none in a place like this. Not even the Sky officials will save you when you stumble upon a crisis. Instead they will beat you down if they suspect you are the murderer and perhaps they'll drag you off to who knows where. THERE ''is no way out. Getting into the Sangre Valley is too easy but getting back out is a challenge you don't want to take. Get it into your mind: there is no way out.'' RAID dens if you must. It's not uncommon to be attacked at night. In fact, you're lucky if you haven't been harmed yet. Desperate cats mean several things, and none of them are in your favor. ORGANIZE yourself. Make sure you know exactly where all your possessions are and if you have a way to evacuate quickly if someone does attack you. You never know when that moment will be. YOU ARE in danger right now. I can tell because you're never safe in the Sangre Valley. You'll find our soon enough. TALONFANG that's the name you must fear. You must learn to avoid anyone who mentions him. He is your worst nightmare. HATRED AND ANGER will get you far. If you hate them, you won't trust them. If you don't trust them, you won't fall into a trap they are trying to set you up for. Again: avoid all the cats you can. EVERY DAY'' is a blessing. Realize that you're lucky to see another sunrise, another sunset. Also know that one day, your fate will be the same as everyone else's in the Sangre Valley: death.'' MAYBE'' you'll survive. Who knows? Perhaps you can be the change in the Valley. You can save all the cats trapped here. But secrets will remain secrets. Remember the simple rules. Do not trust the Sky officials. The Sky Alliance was formed to destroy you. Talonfang is off-limits. He will not hesitate to kill you if he has to. Don't probe and stay safe. Secrets are kept secret only because of the horrors they are hiding. Don't risk your life.'' Now farewell...I do hope you somehow survive. Perhaps you'll also be brave enough to try to jump the very borders that have killed countless cats that have once tried to do so. This is the last message I have: D E S T R O Y . T H E M one. your life is mine talonfang. I prowl forward, my head low, my ears pricked for any movement. I need to make sure the Sky Enforcement isn't behind my back or something. Today my pelt is streaked with mud and I have my pelt slicked against my skin to try to blend in with this section of the Sangre Valley. Here all the cats are covered in mud from surviving in the swamps and they're all as thin as a stick. I flatten my ears when I see the pale colors of a Sky official. They're so easy to identify. With their pale colored pelts in contrary of the dark and barren lands of the Sangre Valley, it's impossible to miss them. As I scan the area quickly, I spot bands of cats travel cautiously around the Sky officials. I bare my teeth slightly at the way they slink past them but before I can make my move, someone nudges me. "Pike," he tells me, "we need to go before they suspect us." I nod my head at him and head after him quickly. My latest scheme involves travelling around the swamp area of the Valley and it's proven useful to have some of the residents join my gang of rogues to see if we could dig out any information about the Sky officials and their plans. Under the fake identity of Pike, I can go around unnoticed. But even when I enter a new part of the Valley that I've never visited before, I can hear the whispers of an unspoken name go around the area. Even my new members jump when I mention him. Talonfang. The fear it spreads is fascinating. I notice that they all find it disconcerting to hear that name. It's amusing because they don't know who I really am. I let the tom ahead of me lead the way back to our secret hideout. Inside, there are five pairs of eyes peering up at me. I like to call us the "Shadow Marauders" since we tend to disappear and detach ourselves from nearby shadows to do our deeds. Out of all the cats I see, only one of them is familiar. "Pike," she greets me, her eyes cautious. She knows of my different identities and that doesn't quite bother me. At least it won't until she becomes a danger to me. "Coral," I reply cooly, "How are the preparations going?" "Fine," she murmurs curtly, "Did all go well out there?" She waves her tail towards where I had been hiding. She knows I had been spying on the Sky officials after all. I flick my tail nonchalantly and seat myself. The black tom that escorted me back leaves the two of us where we are. "Pike," she cautiously sits down herself, though I don't object. "Have you seen a gray she-cat around here lately?" I frown at this. "No," I grunt, "light or dark pelt?" "I couldn't tell," Coral ducks her head, "It seemed to be in the middle. Not too light to be a Sky official born, right?" I can sense her obvious discomfort at the mention of the vicious ruling group of cats. "She's been ducking and avoiding them also." "I have to see to be sure," I murmur, "though Sky officials only have kits of the palest gray if even." My eyes darken, "They cast out all the others." Coral is a nice shade of orange, not too pale where I would have easily deciphered that she might have been a Sky official. Though she's not a good actor and it's obvious she fears the Sky officials as much as she fears the name "Talonfang". I stand once more. "I'm going to go out again. Tell Streak that she's in charge until I get back." Coral doesn't say anything as I slip back out of the dugout. I spot a herd of officials in the distance and make a beeling towards them. I narrow my eyes in pleasure when I only spot three. Perhpas by dawn, these three will be laid across the mud, drowning in their own pool of blood. cielo. I'm tired of being lost. You would think it would be easy to navigate your way around here, but it's an utter disaster. The Sky officials released me about an hour ago, and I'm lost. I've spotted a few cats here and there, but each time I draw closer, they disappear. I spot a brown pelt weaving its way through the murky areas of the swamp. I look farther south and notice three Sky officials crouching a few tail-lengths away, their white pelts glowing against the brown, blotchy color of the mud around them. Narrowing my eyes, I note the way the brown tom is crouched. Rolling my eyes, I head towards the scene, knowing that the brown tom means harm. My light gray pelt stands out in the dirt but I don’t mind. The brown tom pauses when he sees me and interest lights up in his eyes. Almost as if he forgot about the three Sky officials, he heads towards me. I can hear footsteps behind me even before I catch his scent. I whirl around and raise my paws up in defense, but the brown tom just stops. “Who are you?” he challenges, his eyes are a strange shade of yellow and I notice how ragged his fur is. “Cielo,” I say coolly, “and you?” He sneers at my words, almost as if he has more than one identity. “Pike,” he tells me. I eye him nonchalantly, my fur flat while his is bristling. “Some of my cats saw you lurking around here. We don’t know you.” “Cats come and go,” I smirk, “It’s not common for someone to try to find a new life in a new area.” The tom scowls at my response and he flicks his tail. “What are your intentions?” I study him for a moment. There’s a strange tenseness that bemuses me. Why is he tense? Surely he doesn’t think that I’m here to cause harm to him and perhaps his group? What do I have that would cause him to fear me? The answer is so obvious I mentally berate myself for even asking myself: Sky officials. My pelt is light enough to be one, though he cannot be sure. I smile quietly to myself before mewing, “A home,” I say simply, “if you haven’t noticed, I’m quite lost right now.” He laughs sharply. “What makes you think I’ll offer you a home?” “I’m just a she-cat alone in who knows where. Are you going to turn an innocent she-cat down?” I almost scoff at my own words, but I keep a clean and cool mask over my face. Pike gives me an incredulous look. “No one is ‘innocent’,” he snorts, “you could easily be a Sky official in disguise.” “You have nothing to hide,” I frown, “at least you shouldn’t. Only criminals would be so afraid to accept a she-cat with a gray pelt.” His scowl deepens and he spins around. “Follow me,” he says curtly, “I’ll take you to where you can stay temporarily. I’m not making any promises on you getting your home.” I allow myself another small smile before following him. I don’t thank him. We walk a distance before he stops in what seems like a mound of dirt. He pushes a barrier aside and reveals a tunnel. “Come on,” he says roughly when I don’t move, “do you want to come or not?” I slip inside without another word and use my tail and whiskers to guide me while my eyes adjust to the sudden darkness. I take a deep breath and I smell a couple cats ahead. So not a big group of cats…just a few of them gathered down here for safety. I’ll report that to Vicky later. We emerge into a small cavern with a shaft of light coming down from a minuscule hole at the top of the cavern. Cats mill around and some lift their heads to watch as Pike and I emerge from the tunnel. I notice a total of three tunnels in the back of the cavern, and a few cats slip into those tunnels. I turn to see Pike conversing with an orange she-cat. The she-cat is casting worried glances at me and I stare back at her, my gaze unwavering. She flinches slightly and averts her gaze back to Pike. The brown tom glances behind him and scowls. I shoot him a small, almost sarcastic smile. He takes a few more moments to tell the she-cat something before making his way over to me. “I’ll take you to a corner where you can stay the night. I’ll decide how long you can stay in the morning.” “I don’t mean any harm,” I tilt my head, “perhaps a few pointers on how to navigate around the swamp would be pleasing. Just tomorrow would be suffice. I’ll leave you to be after that.” “Tomorrow,” Pike agrees, “I’ll have someone show you around and then you’ll leave.” With that said, he whirls around and calls a black tom over before disappearing into the tunnel we had come down in. I smile once more to myself before following the small black tom to a secluded nest in the back of the cavern. I suspect tomorrow will not be the last time I interact with Pike or this group of cats. two. don't fool me talonfang. The she-cat bothers me. The way she seems pleased with herself each time I get annoyed is infuriating. I can tell she’s always analyzing my moves and for the first time since I learned how to survive in the Sangre Valley, I feel nervous. Cielo emits sort of a powerful aura, and she speaks with intention, not because she feels helpless. Yet I can’t figure out where she could be from. Perhaps from the Hills, most cats have gray pelts there to blend in well with the snow and dirt on the rocky surfaces. Of course, she could be from a Sky official herself. I don’t dare assume that yet, but I must be careful. I settle down in a patch of grass near the tunnel entrance and find myself drifting off before I can help it. ~ When I wake, I find a pair of eyes watching me. I jerk upwards and Cielo hops backwards. “What are you doing here?” I hiss, scrambling to my paws. The gray she-cat stares back at me calmly. “You promised to give me some pointers,” she reminds me, “it’s past dawn.” I glare at her for two solid seconds before starting towards the edge of the swamps. She follows almost obediently, and I feel the same uncomfortable feeling I had felt when I first met her. “Where are we going?” she finally asks, after a few minutes of walking. “I’ll tell you when we get there,” I snap, not bothering to glance at her, “and don’t say anything until we get there.” “How will I know when we get there?” she asks, her voice sweet yet taunting, “You haven’t informed me where we are going.” That same voice, I growl to myself, and her choice of words is weirdly infuriating. “How about you don’t speak until I tell you to?” I twist sharply to send a heated glare at her. Her pale blue eyes are as clear as ever, and they are shining in amusement. I scowl, which only makes her laugh. Her laugh is crystallizing and almost reassuring in the dark reality of the world. I find myself relaxing at the tinkering sound. I immediately tense up again and spin back around, stalking towards my destination once more. To my great relief, Cielo doesn’t speak until I explain to her how hunting is more plentiful near the border of the Swamps and the Hills. “Unless you like eating frogs and birds, you’ll want to hunt along the border,” I inform her, “Here, land prey tend to cross from the Hills and allow you to give yourself a full meal.” She nods, and I notice her eyes scan the horizon, and she seems pleased to find small land prey darting around here and there. “Or,” I shrug, “I’m sure you’ll find an easier life in the Hills.” “I’ve been there,” she tells me, “I don’t think any of these territories are an ‘easy life’.” She’s right of course. The Sangre Valley isn’t a place where you can relax and prey will come to you. With so much competition around here, you have to work to feed yourself. “What makes you think the Swamps are going to be easier?” I ask her. “Perhaps with guides, I can actually find a way to feed myself,” Cielo suggests. I look her over. She catches me instantly and her eyes follow mine around. I ignore her questioning glance and notice how plump she seems. She’s not starving for sure. If she was so well fed in the Hills, why did she leave? I dismiss the question, not wanting to hear her deceiving words. “The farther you go in, the scarcer prey gets. I would advise settling near here if you want to find prey. Just watch out for other settlers of course.” My eyes darken as I think of other cats, “I would highly advise steering clear of Sky officials.” Cielo looks amused. “I’m sure I can deal with them.” I decide to let that statement pass and start towards the den again. “I can’t really give you any more advice,” I call out over my shoulder, “just prey and safety.” Cielo doesn’t follow. She doesn’t thank me either. As I pad away, I can feel the intense stare of her pale blue eyes following me until I’m a safe distance away. I peer back and see her gray pelt disappearing towards where I had first seen the Sky officials upon arriving in the Swamps. Even as I head back to the dugout, I find myself wanting to know more about Cielo and perhaps seeing her again. cielo. I watch as Pike pads away. When he travels a good distance away from me, I head for the Sky Enforcement station that I know is located near the border of the Hills and the Swamps. I find myself mourning the loss of Pike’s company; the tom is amusing after all. He allows me to rack my brain for a good response, and I enjoy the way he is easily irritated. I wasn’t lying when I said I’ve been in the Hills. Of course, it was a short mission to catch a thief trying to rob some of the more obedient citizens of the Valley, but I did have to hunt for myself while searching for the thief. Now I’m supposed to find some tom named Talonfang. Some infamous tom who stirred up some trouble awhile back. Murdered a few cats here and there if I recall correctly. “Cielo,” Vicky snaps me out of my daze, “come on in before someone notices you.” I slip inside as directed and Vicky leads me to her usual den. “What’s your report?” she asks as she seats herself, “it’s been a day since you’ve been released.” “I found a group of cats living in the Swamps,” I inform her, “seemingly innocent except for the lead tom.” I smile to myself, “He’s definitely an amusement.” “You’re on a mission, not on vacation,” Vicky snaps, her amber eyes narrowing at my slip. I erase the smile off my face immediately and maintain a neutral expression, “Watch yourself, Cielo.” “Of course,” I say, keeping my voice in a monotone, “I apologize for my mistake.” The dark orange she-cat purses her lips and waves her tail, indicating for me to continue my report. “He’s intelligent, and quick to pin me as a Sky official,” I keep my eyes straight ahead, “although I gave him no reason to suspect me. He’s overly cautious, and quick to cast me out. The rest of the group seems innocent, however, though they seem tense about new arrivals.” “Nothing else?” Vicky frowns, “I don’t expect you to report every night, Cielo, that’ll alert sharp toms such as the tom you met yesterday.” I tighten my lips but don’t reply. Vicky licks a paw and flicks her tail. “Dismissed, cadet, and make sure you find some quality information before coming back. I expect only the best from you.” I clip my paw to my forehead before dropping my gaze. “Rest assured,” I turn, “I’ll get it done.” ~ I wander around for the next few days, following Pike’s advice and sticking to the border. He’s certainly correct about the plethora of prey. It’s refreshing to eat something other than slimy frogs or the measly ravens I had caught before meeting Pike. Pike…I wonder if he really does have a different identity, and if he does, why he is hiding it. The peaceful days drag by and I feel the time tick by. Vicky will surely be enraged if I don’t report anything important in the next day or so. Sighing, I set off towards Pike’s dugout once more, hoping to figure out more about Pike before Vicky skins my pelt. I raise my head and freeze when I see the orange, flickering flames shooting from the direction of Pike’s dugout. I don’t hesitate and start running towards it. three. trouble you say? talonfang. Category:Fan Fictions Category:Cchen3's Fanfics